DUDLEY, MASS. – Suffolk women's volleyball used a well-balanced team performance to secure a sweep of Nichols in the opening game of the Bison Tri-Match on Saturday morning at the Nichols Athletic Center.

The Rams claimed the match by set scores of 25-20, 25-13, and 25-12.

THE BASICS
SCORE: Suffolk 3 | Nichols 0
RECORDS: Suffolk 8-14 (3-3 CNE) | Nichols 6-15 (1-5 CNE)

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Four early kills from Sam Michon (3) and Grace Cervenka (1) pushed the Rams in front 6-2 early in the first set. Nichols responded to close within two before a four-point service run, highlighted by an ace from Aislinn Lanigan, extended Suffolk's advantage to 14-7. The Bison captured nine of the next ten points behind kills from four different players to level the set at 16 apiece. The two sides traded points to 18-18 until three kills and a service ace from Chloe Clement powered Suffolk to a 25-20 opening-set win.
• The teams traded points in the early stages of the second before Mackenzie Heaney aced Nichols to force a timeout with Suffolk ahead 10-7. Out of the break, the Rams continued their momentum with an 11-point scoring run fueled by two kills from Emmy Thomander to extend the lead to 17-7. Nichols managed to grab three of the next four points, but Lanigan halted any comeback hopes with two service aces during a four-point run capped by a kill from Sami Shore to seal the set 25-13.
• In the third, Suffolk jumped out to a 6-1 lead and never looked back. Clement recorded three service aces across a six-point run to make it 15-7, while Cervenka and Lanigan added aces of their own. Kathy Mo closed out the match with two straight points as the Rams completed the sweep, 25-12.

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING

•Cervenka, Lanigan, Shore, and Emily Norgrove shared the team lead with five kills each.
• Lanigan paced the offense with 14 assists and a career-best six service aces.
• Cervenka (4) and Clement (3) contributed to Suffolk's 18 total service aces.
• Mo anchored the defense with seven digs, while Lanigan and Heaney each added six.

NOTEWORTHY

• Suffolk and Nichols met for the fifth time in program history, dating back to 2021.
• The Rams have now won four straight over the Bison and lead the all-time series, 4-1.
• Suffolk improved to 2-1 on the road versus Nichols.
• The sweep marked the third in the series, all belonging to Suffolk.
• All five meetings between the programs have come under head coach Scott Blanchard.
• Lanigan's six aces set a new personal best.
• The Rams' 18 service aces are their most in a single match this season.

WHAT'S NEXT?
Suffolk continues action at the Bison Tri-Match with its second contest of the day against MCLA at 1:00 p.m.